A good salon, spa or clinic is built on reputation and there’s so much that goes into making it a success. Sadly social media often gets neglected yet it can make or break a brand.
Maybe you think you don’t have time to deal with social media, that it’s not effective (you’d be wrong), or you don’t have the skills to do it. Well this guide will tell you all you need to know to create a professional social media strategy that adds value to your business.
Be consistent
The trap that many salons fall in to is not posting on social media regularly. The impression it gives is that you’re no longer in business or that people aren’t using you.
Try to post at least 5 updates a week. Create posts once a week and then schedule them to go live at regular intervals. This is how you build your brand and your audience. Think about dedicating a certain day of the week to different aspects of the salon such as ‘Makeover Mondays’ or ‘Transformation Thursdays’ and make ‘Colour Fridays’ about vibrancy and fun, and accompany ‘Makeover Mondays’ photos with inspirational quotes for personality.
Take care with your spelling and grammar when you post. The small things count and a few dropped vowels, apostrophes and commas come across more unprofessional than it does ‘friendly and approachable’. Great images deserve great words.
Use amazing photos
You don’t need to be a professional photographer to have amazing photos. The most common trap you see salons fall into is using lazy screenshots, re-posting professional photos or using the free versions of photo apps.
Try to get out of the habit of only posting photos of hair from the back or cropping images so you can’t see the crown or the roots. Where possible post photos of your clients’ faces as well as their hair and ask for a testimonial to go with the photo.
Avoid posting collages; they won’t stand out, instead focus on posting a single, impactful image – it’s about quality over quantity. If you want to show off different angles, and you should, post them as best suits the platform you’re using – multiples on Instagram, a maximum of 4 on Twitter and with a choice thumbnail on Facebook.
Whatever you choose to do, just be imaginative and don’t allow your account to become boring and repetitive.
Small investments
You can take high-quality photos on an iPhone these days and there are plenty of excellent apps to edit your photos for that professional look. If you can afford a decent camera you’ll find it’s always a sound investment.
Order some branded backdrops; these won’t cost much and will last you for years. Lighting can help make a great photo and having the tools to give you the correct light will enhance your photos a lot. A broad or close source will give you soft light; side-light and above-light emphasises texture, whilst front-light subtracts it so a decent lamp and umbrella stand can give you flexibility with your lighting for around $100.
Another consideration might be video editing software or a microphone for crisp audio so you can create salon tours and how-to videos. How-to videos are a great way to build an audience because you’re giving away something useful for free. That might seem counterintuitive but if you teach people tips and tricks for the small things like adding instant volume or quick touch ups when roots start to show they’ll trust you with the big things and you’ll grow your business that way.
Be Engaging
As a salon, spa or clinic owner, you know the importance of keeping relevant. What’s better than having a social media account that chronicles how you keep up with popular styles?
Thinking long-term you could leverage outdated photos with self-deprecating marketing posts along the lines of “Oh dear! Remember when we had this do? Thankfully times have moved on but if you still want to look fire this weekend book now for a special May Day special – 10% off to the first 20 bookings”.
This can attract new customers and entice people to share the post and tag in friends for a laugh. This method can be applied in many different ways – posting seasonal photos, holiday discounts, early bird offers, or introduction prices for a new colourist.
Make sure you engage with your audience on the platform they’re using where possible. Be social and answer questions and enquiries publicly as there’s always more than one person wondering the same thing and it positions your salon as an authority in the industry.
If you find yourself with limited time or knowledge to dedicate to your social media platforms, services at social media agencies can assist with your strategies and take over the responsibility altogether. Scene It Social provides tailored social media packages to the hair and beauty industry, and can work with you to make your social media content irresistible. They can be easily contacted on 0413 546 493 or visit sceneitsocial.com.au.
Read next:
